INDIANAPOLIS — Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still is glad to be participating in the NFL Scouting Combine after the most traumatic season in Nittany Lions history. The Jerry Sandusky scandal, the firing of Joe Paterno and Paterno’s death were experiences that no player anticipated.

“Now as time goes on I’m starting to come to grips with it,’’ Still said Saturday. “It’s starting to hit me that it is reality. But when it first happened, it was hard to believe. Seeing coach Paterno fired, and then a couple of months later seeing him pass away, it was hard on us.’’

Staying focused enough to enjoy a superb season, Still is one of the Combine’s top defensive tackles—a projected first-round pick. Still has plenty of competition. Michael Brockers (LSU), Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State), Dontari Poe (Memphis), Kendall Reyes (Connecticut), Brandon Thompson (Clemson) and Jerel Worthy of (Michigan State) are all highly regarded defensive tackles. But Still believes he will stand out, both at the Combine and on draft night.

“I think hands-down I’m the best defensive tackle in this draft,” said Still, who measured 6-5, 302 on Saturday. “I feel as though I want it more. I was able to take over a lot of games this season. I was able to disrupt things even if I wasn’t making statistics.”

Still remains an admirer of Paterno’s, and now has a better idea of how many lives Paterno touched.

“What I learned being at the memorial is that what I experienced playing under Joe Paterno, people that played back in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, all had similar stories,” Still said. “That just shows you he remained the same coach.

“I think highly of coach Paterno. I think he’s the reason why I am who I am today. Being under his program, it helped me grow as a person, it will help me grow as a football player and also becoming the father I am today. I’ve been through a lot as I’ve (gone) through Penn State, but I think that’s just helped me grow mentally. I wasn’t as mature when I first got to Penn State as I am now. I credit that all to coach Paterno.’’

New Penn State coach Bill O’Brien will have Still’s support.

“I think it was a good hire,” Still said. “The feedback I’m getting from my former teammates is that he’s a very enthusiastic coach. I think the main concern is him just upholding the tradition of Penn State and what Joe Paterno had implemented there. I think he’s going to do a good job of that, but also throw in a little bit of his thing, as expected.’’

Still said his final season at Penn State was a difficult way to learn some life lessons.

“How to face adversity,” Still said. “We were hit so hard, blindsided by it, and we were able to make it through. I think that helped us all grow as men.”